My Frustration Level High
This 68 GMC k1500 truck is going drive me insane ! This being a one of a kind year makes it almost impossible to complete anything with out something else cropping up .
Could not find the longer 7/16 wheel studs with .56 spline , so had to go with a set of 1/2” x 20 x.56 spline. Everything worked out except now the brake drums have to be re drilled because the stud holes are to small. Why because in order the get a longer studs I also had to settle for a longer spline which interferes with the brake drum stud holes. Try getting a new set of original style springs for this thing , not going to happen . Eaton made me a set but nothing like the originals . The drive shaft is another never thing , no one ever saw this stinking pencil style drive shaft . So had to have one made , power steering ? That was fun ! Now my newest project , power assist brakes and I can see problems coming already . I have 7 months left to get this thing on the road for a cruise to N.Y this spring. At this rate I’ll be every day for the 7 months getting it road worthy. They only made about 500 of these things and I think I have one of maybe A half dozen left in the country. In fact they made so few of them , an old GMC sales person swore they never made my truck . When he saw it , he still wondered were he was when it was being sold. Ok , that’s my rant . Back to the garage to work out another issue ! |
Re: My Frustration Level High
Okay. Deep breath now. And take comfort in that your not working on something obscure like an Avanti, a Checker or an International, whom the counter person at the parts store has never even heard of.
And everyday the list of things to do gets smaller and the list of things you can be proud overcoming of gets longer. Good work! |
Re: My Frustration Level High
Sorry to hear about that, but thanks for sharing. It took me a long time to get mine road-worthy. Some of the time was spent on buying stuff that was not really well suited to the truck and then I had to do it again. So everything took twice as long while I learned my lessons. Nowadays I spend tons of time researching stuff to make sure I'm getting good stock-like parts, and buying stuff here from you guys in the parts section of the forum when I need something obscure that I can't just find locally or if I can't buy of sufficient quality from the catalog/online companies. I'm becoming a fan of good used parts. I don't settle for something that just works, because in my experience it often only works for 5 minutes and then craps out if I go cheap or go with what's readily available. I am able to work on comfort items and options more now, and managing to keep up with essential mechanical and electrical stuff that breaks down only occasionally. It is exhausting, but it's coming together. It sounds like your truck was heavily modified before; I can understand it would be difficult putting things back to "normal".
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Any how it’s a heck of a learning experience . |
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I didn't know if I wanted to step into this one or not! I have a question. How much did you know about a '68 K1500 when you decided to go about this restoration? Ok. Well, you're learnin' :cool:. That too is what this restoration thing is all about. It ain't no kit
The spring width on 4wds changed to narrower after '68. '69 has the same drivetrain and was last year for V6. Steering changed in '70 as well as new transmissions and transfer case came out. Basically, drivetrain changed except rear. Then disc brakes on same front end in '71. A lot of people go with swapping to later components for convenience, parts availability, serviceability, upgrading. Restoring to original is never the easiest route. You take a direction and keep going until it's done. Maybe move to another thing when something gets frustrating. You'll get it done. |
Re: My Frustration Level High
I have a 68 GMC K1500 and I was unaware that it was rare at all other than being 4wd. I bought it when I lived in CA and the original front differential was long gone and the transfer case had been replaced with a NP205. I have since changed the complete drivetrain as I wanted a heavy axled driver with an OD manual transmission.
I might have gone a different route, if I had known they were so hard to come by! |
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I got some better pictures of them than before!:chevy: |
Re: My Frustration Level High
I find it hard to believe that any drive shaft that will handle the V6 is not enough for your V8.
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I am not *****ing about this , just frustrated , mostly because no one has many answers for this truck. When I called Dorman about longer wheel studs , he chuckled when I told him it was a 68 K1500. Then he helped me with what he could. I already restored a 69 Mustang Mach 1 , a peace of cake compared to this. This truck wasn’t supposed to be like a stutz bear cat , or a Cord just a regular 4x4 truck. |
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Have you ever owned one or worked on one ? From you answers most likely not . |
Re: My Frustration Level High
Oh no
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Im sure ARP would of had a solution to your wheel stud issue, if not they could of made you one.
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I just finished building my whole 68 Chevy rear end and put all new studs in them. O-Reilly's had them in stock. I got 1/2" longer studs also. The Boss wheels are deeper than stock rally wheels so I wanted plenty of threads.
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:lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol::lol: |
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Tim has forgot more about these trucks than most of us will ever know. Lighten up Francis... Your truck might be "rare", but it is still a 67-72 truck, and you're not experiencing anything that can't be done with some fab work or networking. Gary |
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68 GMC K1500 , drive train , there is very little that the Chevy K10 has in common . From the frame up , everything in a cake walk . You know when the Dorman rep almost laughed when he heard I was trying to do a 68 K1500 , that should tell you some thing. His comment to me after some conversation , that was a B truck yr for gmc as you are finding out. |
Re: My Frustration Level High
I bet he laughed because you said 1968. Tell me what length stud you needed.
I told you the facts on what is different between the Chevy and GMC in '68. Nothing that isn't different any other year. GMCs ran Dana rears and Chevys ran corporate. And, through '69 GMC offered the V6 that Chevy never did. What makes you think a Dorman employee would be an expert on this year and model truck? BTW, your figures on how many were made and how many are left (How do you know?) are way off. If you want to know the actual production numbers I'm sure there are dozens of members here who could give you the actual facts. But nobody knows how many are left running around. You are getting help here and you are fighting it. We have nothing to gain by offering misleading information or giving you a false impression. We are a network here. What info one guy can't find another guy might have and we are ready to share. If how things work here don't work for you I believe you will be the first one. Many a truck owner has come here lost and bewildered to walk away with the info they needed. I'd like to help you with any other issues you run into, if I can. You're not done yet, right? |
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